St. Louis Wing Week Returns April 8-15, 2024

Great Spots to Take Your Kids to Play Outdoors in St. Louis

By Riverfront Times Staff on Wed, Mar 23, 2022 at 10:30 am

Kids sick of being stuck in the house? If you're looking for somewhere to take them without breaking the bank, all of these St. Louis spots are fun and free.

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Climb up Cahokia Mounds
For a bit of history, a little education and a great view of downtown St. Louis, climb up the Cahokia Mounds and enjoy the breeze.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Danny Wicentowski

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Wag your tail at the Ellen Clark Sculpture (and Unofficial Dog) Park
Let the kids (and the dog) run wild at Ellen Clark Sculpture Park. It’s fenced in and lots of fun.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Stephen Davis

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Go fishing at the lake in Carondelet Park
The boathouse on the lake in Carondelet Park is one of the most beautiful spots in all of south city. And all summer the Boathouse Lake is stocked with Channel Catfish and Hybrid Sunfish. But even if you don’t catch anything (or intend to catch anything), it's a great place to have a chill afternoon.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: @pasa / Flickr

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Ride on our cool biking trails
One of the best ways to get outside and get some fresh air is on a bike. If your kids are of biking age, the St. Louis offers some fabulous paths to roll down this summer.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Danny Wicentowski

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Climb on the Forest Park Playscape
Just opened this summer, the The Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape in Forest Park is a seventeen acre playground made from natural materials that aims to encourage kids to climb and explore.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Justin Barr

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Enjoy fireworks along the Great River Road
Every Thursday night from June through September, Alton and Grafton will be featuring dazzling fireworks on their respective waterfronts. The spectacular light shows will sparkle along the Mississippi in both towns simultaneously starting at 9 p.m.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Courtesy Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau

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Go for a hike
For a classic breath of fresh air, there’s nothing better than hiking. There’s so much to see and learn out there and an afternoon with nature is great for everyone in the family. Here in Missouri we have an endless amount of great hiking spots, too.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Steve Truesdell

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Hop by the City Garden downtown
This dual-purpose area offers both art and space to play with giant sculptures and lots of space for little ones to run wild in the heart of downtown.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Micah Usher

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Laumeier Sculpture Park
This museum and sculpture garden is 105 acres of outdoor beauty and a great place to trick the kids into taking a short hike through the woods.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jaime Lees

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Visit the Saint Louis Zoo
We’re so lucky to have world-class Zoo in St. Louis. And we’re even more lucky that it is free. If you’re looking to take your kiddos to see the cute animals this summer, reservations are required. But this is actually great news, it keeps the crowds down so you can have maximum fun and minimum wait to ride the train.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Steve Truesdell

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Say “Hi” to the turtles at the Turtle Playground
Known around St. Louis as “Turtle Park,” this spot near Highway 40 and Hampton was built by Bob Cassilly (the founder of the City Museum) for kids to burn off a little steam and make a few new friends.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Micah Usher

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Get into geocaching and letterboxing around town
You’ll never know where you will find magic out in nature. (Or where you'll find yourself in St. Louis while on your quest.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jack Killeen

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Catch an outdoor concert
If you’ve been missing music in your life, it’s easy to find an outdoor concert at City Foundry and lots of other places around town.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Partisan Arts

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